Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan

Meadow Lake is a city in the boreal forest of northwestern Saskatchewan, Canada. Its location is about 246 kilometres (153 mi) northeast of Lloydminster and 156 kilometres (97 mi) north of North Battleford.^[8] Founded as a trading post in 1799, it became a village in 1931 and a town in 1936. On November 9, 2009, it officially became Saskatchewan's 14th city.^[9]

Meadow Lake Lac des Prairies
City
City of Meadow Lake
Meadow Lake City Hall
Motto(s):  Gateway to Pure Air and Water
Meadow Lake Location of Meadow Lake in Saskatchewan
Coordinates: 54°07′27″N 108°26′09″W
Country	Canada
Province	Saskatchewan
Incorporated Village	August 29, 1931
Incorporated Town	February 1, 1936
Incorporated City	November 9, 2009
Government
• Mayor	Merlin Seymour
• MLA Constituency of Meadow Lake	Jeremy Harrison
• MP Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River	Gary Vidal
Area
• Land	12.32 km2 (4.76 sq mi)
Elevation 480.40[1]	498.30 m (1,634.84 ft)
Population  (2016)[2]
• Total	5,344
• Density	433.6/km2 (1,123/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central Standard Time)
Forward sortation area	S9X
Highways	Hwy 55, Hwy 4
Post office established	January 1, 1911
Website	Meadow Lake
[3][4][5][6][7]

Meadow Lake is the main business centre of northwestern Saskatchewan and serves the many towns and villages as a regional shopping centre. It is the second-largest community in Saskatchewan's Census Division No. 17, after Saskatchewan's portion of the interprovincial city of Lloydminster. The city is on the western shore of Meadow Lake and borders the Rural Municipality of Meadow Lake No. 588 and the Flying Dust First Nation No. 105 reserves.

History

Peter Fidler Monument in Elk's Park

Peter Fidler built Bolsover House in 1799 near "Lac des Prairies", the first name given to Meadow Lake. In 1873 Métis families arrived establishing a Hudson's Bay Company trading post, joined by other settlers in the early 1900s. The largest impetus occurred following a fire of 1919 and the exodus of some of the settlers during the Great Depression from the Dust Bowl of central and southern Saskatchewan to communities in the north.^[7][10][11]

Bolsover House

Peter Fidler of the Hudson's Bay Company was told by Indian guides that Meadow Lake was a good place for furs. On August 30, 1799 he reached the mouth of the Meadow Lake River. The stream was so narrow and crooked that he almost despaired of navigating it. When he reached the lake he found it so shallow and swampy that he had to proceed demi-chargé. Finding no good place on the lake he went up a river and selected a place about 1,000 yards inland to build the 12 foot by 12 foot log fort. He named it Bolsover House after his hometown in England. The post returned only 190 made beaver in the first season so in 1801 it was closed and everything moved east to Green Lake House. The exact site of Bolsover House is unknown. There is a monument to Peter Fidler in Meadow Lake at Elk's Park.^[12][13]

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Meadow Lake had a population of 5,322 living in 1,930 of its 2,125 total private dwellings, a change of -0.4% from its 2016 population of 5,344. With a land area of 12.37 km² (4.78 sq mi), it had a population density of 430.2/km² (1,114.3/sq mi) in 2021.^[14]

Historical Population

Year	Pop.	±%
1955	2,216	—
1991	4,318	+94.9%
1996	4,819	+11.6%
2001	4,582	−4.9%
2006	4,771	+4.1%
2011	5,055	+6.0%
2016	5,344	+5.7%
[15][16][17]

The Meadow Lake Indian Band was established in 1889 with signing of Treaty 6 to the north of Meadow Lake. This reserve is now named the Flying Dust First Nation.^[10]

Canada census – Meadow Lake community profile

	2021	2016	2011
Population	5,322 (-0.4% from 2016)	5,344 (5.7% from 2011)	5,045 (+5.7% from 2006)
Land area	12.37 km2 (4.78 sq mi)	12.32 km2 (4.76 sq mi)	7.95 km2 (3.07 sq mi)
Population density	430.2/km2 (1,114/sq mi)	433.6/km2 (1,123/sq mi)	634.2/km2 (1,643/sq mi)
Median age	32.8 (M: 31.8, F: 34.0)		32.7 (M: 31.1, F: 34.0)
Private dwellings	2,125 (total)  1,930 (occupied)	2,113 (total)	2,042 (total)
Median household income	$86,000

References: 2021^[18] 2016^[19] 2011^[20]

Panethnic groups in the City of Meadow Lake (2001−2021)

Panethnic group	2021[21]		2016[22]		2011[23]		2006[24]		2001[25]
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Indigenous	2,550	48.99%	2,350	44.76%	2,180	44.35%	1,865	39.85%	1,540	34.22%
European[a]	2,085	40.06%	2,565	48.86%	2,545	51.78%	2,755	58.87%	2,930	65.11%
Southeast Asian[b]	240	4.61%	160	3.05%	140	2.85%	45	0.96%	0	0%
South Asian	130	2.5%	80	1.52%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%
African	90	1.73%	70	1.33%	0	0%	10	0.21%	10	0.22%
East Asian[c]	30	0.58%	35	0.67%	35	0.71%	20	0.43%	20	0.44%
Middle Eastern[d]	25	0.48%	10	0.19%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%
Latin American	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%
Other/multiracial[e]	40	0.77%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%
Total responses	5,205	97.8%	5,250	98.24%	4,915	97.23%	4,680	98.09%	4,500	98.21%
Total population	5,322	100%	5,344	100%	5,055	100%	4,771	100%	4,582	100%
Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses

Geography

Meadow Lake is located in the middle of an area pre-historically covered by a large glacial lake also called Meadow Lake formed from a receding continental glacier, of which only a fraction still exists. The lake is located on the east side of the city. The ancient lakeshore forms the Meadow Lake Escarpment, a significant terrain feature clearly visible looking south from many points in the city.

The area is a part of the Southern Boreal EcoRegion with the Northern Boreal EcoRegion to the north and the Parkland EcoRegion on the south. The neighbouring rural areas include Trembling aspen Populus tremuloides, White spruce Picea glauca, Jack Pine Pinus banksiana, Black Spruce Picea mariana and muskegs.^[26][27]

Specifically Meadow Lake is situated in the Meadow Lake plain of the Boreal transition ecoregion in the Boreal Plain ecozone.^[28]

Climate

Meadow Lake experiences a subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dfc) that falls just short of being classified as a Humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb).^[29] The highest temperature ever recorded in Meadow Lake was 38.0 °C (100.4 °F) on 27 June 2002.^[30] The coldest temperature ever recorded was −51.7 °C (−61 °F) on 8 January 1930.^[31] A record snowfall occurred November 16, 1984, with 19.4 centimetres (7.6 in) and a record 57.8 millimetres (2.28 in) of rain fell May 17, 1984. A record snowfall depth was recorded February 22, 1997, when 58 centimetres (23 in) was measured. January 11, 1986, was very cold with wind gusting to 104 kilometres (65 mi) per hour. The humidex was set at a high of 40.4 on August 10, 1991, and the opposite extreme was felt with a −55.8 windchill on December 20, 1989.

Climate data for Meadow Lake Airport, 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1923–present
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	8.9 (48.0)	9.5 (49.1)	18.6 (65.5)	32.8 (91.0)	35.6 (96.1)	38.0 (100.4)	37.2 (99.0)	37.2 (99.0)	33.3 (91.9)	27.8 (82.0)	19.2 (66.6)	11.2 (52.2)	38.0 (100.4)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	−10.9 (12.4)	−7.4 (18.7)	−0.5 (31.1)	9.8 (49.6)	17.4 (63.3)	21.3 (70.3)	23.7 (74.7)	22.9 (73.2)	16.7 (62.1)	8.8 (47.8)	−2.8 (27.0)	−9.3 (15.3)	7.5 (45.5)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−17.2 (1.0)	−14.2 (6.4)	−7 (19)	3.2 (37.8)	9.8 (49.6)	14.3 (57.7)	16.7 (62.1)	15.5 (59.9)	9.8 (49.6)	2.7 (36.9)	−7.8 (18.0)	−15.1 (4.8)	0.9 (33.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−23.5 (−10.3)	−20.8 (−5.4)	−13.5 (7.7)	−3.4 (25.9)	2.2 (36.0)	7.3 (45.1)	9.7 (49.5)	8.0 (46.4)	2.8 (37.0)	−3.5 (25.7)	−12.8 (9.0)	−21 (−6)	−5.7 (21.7)
Record low °C (°F)	−51.7 (−61.1)	−46.7 (−52.1)	−43.3 (−45.9)	−31.8 (−25.2)	−13 (9)	−3.9 (25.0)	1.2 (34.2)	−3.7 (25.3)	−12.2 (10.0)	−22.7 (−8.9)	−41.5 (−42.7)	−47 (−53)	−51.7 (−61.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	15.7 (0.62)	10.4 (0.41)	14.3 (0.56)	25.1 (0.99)	43.6 (1.72)	66.5 (2.62)	75.2 (2.96)	62.7 (2.47)	41.3 (1.63)	22.6 (0.89)	19.4 (0.76)	18.0 (0.71)	415.0 (16.34)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	0.3 (0.01)	0.2 (0.01)	1.6 (0.06)	12.9 (0.51)	40.6 (1.60)	66.4 (2.61)	75.2 (2.96)	62.5 (2.46)	40.0 (1.57)	14.3 (0.56)	2.1 (0.08)	0.9 (0.04)	317.0 (12.48)
Average snowfall cm (inches)	21.2 (8.3)	14.2 (5.6)	15.6 (6.1)	14.6 (5.7)	3.0 (1.2)	0.1 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.2 (0.1)	1.2 (0.5)	9.4 (3.7)	21.0 (8.3)	22.6 (8.9)	123.0 (48.4)
Mean monthly sunshine hours	92.7	123.4	173.7	219.8	260.1	265.4	288.1	268.9	173.2	136.4	79.2	74.3	2,155.2
Percentage possible sunshine	37.4	44.9	47.4	52.3	52.5	51.8	56.1	58.3	45.3	41.6	30.7	32.1	45.9
Source: Environment Canada[30][31][32][33]

Government

Meadow Lake has a mayor as the highest-ranking government official. Voters also elect aldermen or councillors to form the municipal council. The current mayor is Merlin Seymour, who was re-elected by acclamation in 2024.^[34]

Provincially, Meadow Lake is within the Meadow Lake constituency. It is currently represented by its Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), Jeremy Harrison of the Saskatchewan Party, who was re-elected in October 2024.^[35]

Federally, Meadow Lake is represented in the House of Commons of Canada by its Member of Parliament (MP) for the Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River riding, Buckley Belanger of the Liberal Party of Canada, who was elected in April 2025.^[36]

Economy

The tourism, fishing, fur, pulpwood, forestry, agricultural grains, livestock, dairy and poultry product industries all support Meadow Lake which boasted seven grain elevators in 1955. Meadow Lake was processing three million bushels of grain in 1953, the highest amount for a single Canadian community.^[10]

Currently the city's heavy industry is dominated by the primary forestry industry and related service companies, including trucking and forestry management companies. The forest companies include NorSask Forest Products Inc., Meadow Lake Mechanical Pulp Ltd. and the Meadow Lake OSB Limited Partnership. Support industries include Mistik Management and various privately held trucking companies.

Meadow Lake acts as a business hub in its local area, providing services for the smaller surrounding communities of Dorintosh and Rapid View and surrounding reserves including the Flying Dust First Nation and the Eagles Lake reserve.

A major component of the Meadow Lake economy is the First Nation communities and their relative success. The Flying Dust First Nation, which directly borders the town, owns and operates many of the city's most profitable industries, including direct ownership of NorSask Forest Products Inc., a portion of the Meadow Lake OSB Partnership, stakes in local trucking and service companies, and a sizeable farming operation which is currently limited to leasing the vast amounts of local property they own or have title on.

The community's agricultural community is also sizeable, including both cereal production and ranching operations. The most pristine agricultural lands are closest to the city, whereas the surrounding areas become less suitable for farming and more amenable to ranching towards the north with the Canadian Shield, or east to the St. Cyr Hills. The city boasts one stockyard and two major agricultural equipment dealers.

The community is home to the SaskPower Meadow Lake Power Station.

Education

Meadow Lake is served by Transition Place Education Centre, Carpenter High, Jonas Samson Junior High, Lakeview elementary, Jubilee Elementary, Gateway Elementary, and North West Regional College,^[37] which offers courses at both the college and university levels. University courses, including complete, community-based Bachelor of Education and Master of Education programs are offered by the University of Regina.

In the spring of 2005, the Government of Saskatchewan invested CA$41,000 to upgrade the roof at Jonas Samson Junior High School.^[38] Academy of Learning AOL is a post secondary career and business college in Meadow Lake.^[39] For the school year 2007–2008, Lakeview Elementary School started a much anticipated French Immersion Program. Historically the Meadow Lake area was served by several one-room schoolhouses, the closest being the Meadow Lake School District #1201 Township 59, range 17, west of the 3rd Meridian.^[40]

Local media

Newspapers

The Northern Pride is a weekly newspaper based in Meadow Lake and serves northwestern Saskatchewan. The Meadow Lake Progress was a local newspaper that was published from 1931 to 2013.^[41]

Radio

CJNS-FM 102.3 and CFDM-FM 105.7 are the local radio stations. The town is also served by CBKM-FM 98.5, a repeater of CBK-AM 540 in Watrous.

Transportation

Meadow Lake is located on SK Highway 55, and SK Highway 4. The Prince Albert - Leoville - Meadow Lake - North Battleford Canadian Pacific Railway reached Meadow Lake Station at Section 26, Township 59, Range 17, west of the Third Meridian in 1931.^[10] Meadow Lake Airport (IATA: YLJ, ICAO: CYLJ) is located 2 NM (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) west of Meadow Lake.^[42]

Attractions

Meadow Lake's Tourist Information Centre is located on Highway 4 South in the Meadow Lake Lions Park.^[43] The building is shared by the Meadow Lake Museum Society, Northern Saskatchewan Tourism, and the Meadow Lake Chamber of Commerce.^[44]

Meadow Lake Provincial Park, located about 40 km to the north, takes its name from the city. Other nearby parks include Meadow Lake Lions Park, Nesset Lake Recreation Site, and Saint Cyr Hills Trails Recreation Site.^[45]

Meadow Lake Golf Club is an 18-hole golf course on the south side of the city of Meadow Lake, along Highway 4.^[46] Meadow Lake is directly east of the golf course. The golf course was built in 1952 and is a par 72 with a total of 6432 yards.^[47] The course also features a 20-tee driving range.^[48]

Notable people

Notable persons who were born, grew up, or established their fame in Meadow Lake:

• William Bleasdell Cameron (1862–1951) — survivor of the Frog Lake Massacre, author, journalist
• Blake Comeau — 2006 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships gold medallist, NHL hockey player with the Dallas Stars
• Jeff Friesen — former NHL hockey player, Stanley Cup Champion (2003)
• Joe Handley — former Premier of the Northwest Territories
• Jeremy Harrison — current MLA
• Dakota Ray Hebert — actress and comedian
• D. J. King — former NHL hockey player
• Dwight King — former NHL and current KHL hockey player, he was a member of the Kings' Stanley Cup championship teams in 2012 and in 2014.
• Merlin Malinowski — former NHL hockey player
• George McLeod — former Saskatchewan Cabinet Minister and Deputy Premier
• Jon Mirasty — AHL hockey player
• Mike Siklenka — AHL hockey player
• Maynard Sonntag — former Saskatchewan Cabinet Minister
• Jeremy Yablonski — NHL and AHL hockey player

Gallery

• 
  Portion of the rider on horseback statue which honours pioneers of the area
• 
  Plaque on Meadow Lake City Hall (Heritage Building)
• 
  Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of All Saints
• 
  Holy Trinity Anglican Church

See also

• List of communities in Saskatchewan
• List of cities in Saskatchewan
• List of Hudson's Bay Company trading posts

Notes

1. Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.
2. Statistic includes total responses of "Filipino" and "Southeast Asian" under visible minority section on census.
3. Statistic includes total responses of "Chinese", "Korean", and "Japanese" under visible minority section on census.
4. Statistic includes total responses of "West Asian" and "Arab" under visible minority section on census.
5. Statistic includes total responses of "Visible minority, n.i.e." and "Multiple visible minorities" under visible minority section on census.